The Band
by CarminaBurana1
Summary: Why did Zack quit the band, and how can Katie and Freddie get him back? Dodgy summary, contains slight angst very slight but short chapters I swear, so please read. Rating is for mild swearing...just in case
1. Chapter One

Author's Note- I don't own the characters, the school, or anything really. I'm probably ripping off someone else's plot too, but guess what? You don't know me, so you can't sue me! Hah! Actually, I don't even own the gothic cross Zac wears. It belongs to Cam.  
  
I'm not really sure where this is going right now, but stay tuned and please review. Just a couple of words would be great (flames are used to cook marshmallows so don't even bother).  
  
Actually, I have some questions about School Of Rock (it hasn't come out in Australia on DVD yet so I haven't seen it for ages). If anyone could answer them for me, that'd be awesome. Is Horace Green a High School, a College, or what? What was the name of the teacher Jack Black replaced? And last but not least, my big hangup, what's the last name of Jack Black's character? I can't remember.  
  
If anyone wants to give me a really short summary of the American school system, that'd be great too. I don't want abuse for accidently putting in the Aussie school system.  
  
But on!  
  
CHAPTER ONE  
  
The guitar was screaming, his fans were cheering. Freddy was going mental behind him on the drums.  
  
'Zack! Zack! Zack!' the audience chanted. Zack smiled widely, still playing.  
  
And then he woke up.  
  
'Zack! Zack! Come on, you'll be so late if you don't get up', his mother was saying, cross and harassed.  
  
'Mom', he said, groaning as he dragged himself up in bed. 'You only wrecked the best dream ever.'  
  
'What was it about honey? Come on now, you can tell me at breakfast. I've laid your uniform out for you, so get dressed.' She bustled out of the room, and Zack sat there for a moment, regetting having told her he'd even had a dream at all. He couldn't just blurt out in front of his parents that he'd had an awesome dream about being in the band again. He smacked himself upside the head and went to put his uniform on. Shorts, shirt, blazer, the tie that you couldn't pay other people to wear...  
  
'Oh man', he said softly to his reflection. He slicked his hair down, did the usual morning thing where he stood there and hated his face. Then he opened the closet and took out two things from where they were hidden behind a stack of past schoolbooks. He put them on- his wrist cuff and his gothic cross. The cross had only cost a couple of bucks, and it was awesome- heavy ornate (fake, but what could you expect for $5?) silver with a flaming skull's head in the center. He tucked it into the front of his shirt and made sure the wrist cuff was pushed up a little so it was hidden from his parents. When he got to school, he'd loosen his tie, untuck his shirt and fix up his hair a bit better so that he at least looked like he belonged with Freddy and Katie and the people who were still with the band.  
  
Freddy was waiting until he was old enough to get a real tattoo. Zack was waiting until he was ready to leave home.  
  
He went downstairs to the breakfast table, where his mom and dad sat, reading the paper and drinking juice.  
  
'Have some toast, hon', said his mom, not looking up from the paper.  
  
'Thanks mom', he said. As though he couldn't have made that decision himself, when there was a whole damn plate of it on the table, mostly cold and waiting to be eaten. He helped himself to a couple of pieces, spread them with honey, and bit in. The toast was soggy and cold, and the texture of it, along with the honey, made him want to gag. But he ate it anyway, because his mom would comment if he didn't.  
  
'So tell us about your dream, Zack', said his mom cheerily. Zack's dad looked up involuntarily, and then went straight back to reading the paper. Zack decided to make up some lie they'd believe.  
  
'Yeah, it was great...' he started, but his mother interrupted.  
  
'Honey, don't say yeah. It's so vulgar. Say yes.'  
  
'...because I was driving this racing car and I was going so fast and I was going to win.'  
  
'That's nice, honey', said his mom noncomittally. She didn't know about racing cars, wasn't interested, and was already thinking about her tennis training.  
  
'I suppose you want to go off and became a racing car driver now', muttered his father. Zack ignored him. He still wasn't speaking to his father, and he didn't feel the need to reply to such a stupid remark.  
  
'Are you ready?' asked his mom. He nodded, went to grab his schoolbag, and got in the car to get driven to school.  
  
Thanks for reading this far. Please review. Please? I promise to mention you in a later chapter (or at least in the author's notes). 


	2. Chapter Two

Authors notes: I'm only doing this because I'm sad, bored, and pretending to myself that this is helping to develop my writing skills. I don't own anything except maybe a semblance of the plot.  
  
I also love and adore Lawrence, and if you want to know why he doesn't get a mention in this chapter, I can tell you- he's either fallen through a plot hole or he's too passive to approach Zack about.........stuff  
  
Thanks heaps to my reviewers. All the 'Zac's have been changed to 'Zack's, sorry about that, and the 'Freddie's to 'Freddy's. You guys are awesome, especially Swimmierkitti- you're a champ And now, the chapter!  
  
CHAPTER TWO  
  
'Leave your homework with me for correction please', called the teacher as the class filed out the door. It was time for recess. Marta and Alicia were the first to bounce out, ditzy beribboned pigtails swinging in the breeze they created, and soon most of the class was out of the room, except for Katie, Freddy and Zack.  
  
'Come on man, we need to do some serious talking', Freddy said. Katie nodded in agreement.  
  
'Zack, don't expect us to believe that bullshit story you fed us about having more time for schoolwork.'  
  
'Would you children please leave the room so that I can lock up?' asked the teacher, Mrs. Harrison, the most awful old bat to ever stalk the hallways of Horace Green.  
  
'Sure, Miss. I just have one favour to ask', said Katie in her most innocent girly voice.  
  
'Yes?'  
  
'We don't like being referred to as children, Miss. We find it rude and insulting. Perhaps you could just call us by our names or talk to us the way you'd talk to another adult?' Katie said, formal and with steel eyes and voice.  
  
'Oh...well...', said Mrs. Harrison, taken aback.  
  
'Thanks Mrs. Harrison. We really appreciate it', said Freddy to her as the three of the left the room.  
  
'Jeez, you really stuck it to her then', muttered Zack, semi-sarcastic.  
  
'Hey, shut up, man', said Freddy. 'We're here to talk about you.'  
  
'Why'd you quit? You know we can't have a band without a guitar', said Katie sharply.  
  
'I didn't have...'  
  
'No shit about having no time for homework, cause I refuse to believe that crap', said Freddy.  
  
'Dude...' began Zack. 'Look, fine ok. It's my Dad.'  
  
'Knew it', said Katie smugly.  
  
'He made me quit at the end of the year. He said...he said a lot of shit man, but the breakdown is that it was barely ok for me to do it last year, and this year was right off.'  
  
'Didn't he have like a massive change of heart?'  
  
'Nah, he just didn't want to look majorly uptight in front of all the other parents. He was fuming when he got me home.'  
  
'But you can't just quit the band. We need you man', said Freddy. It was the first time Zack had really been needed. 'Can't you just sneak off anyway?'  
  
'He notices. If I come home an hour late, he's going to know something's going on. If I come home an hour late the same day every week...he's not stupid.'  
  
'Nah, he's just thick', said Katie. She was annoyed now. Zack couldn't tell at who- him or his father. He shrugged in a gesture of hopelessness. The three of them stood in silence for a while. It didn't really seem like there was much they could do. Sticking it to the Man was one thing, but sticking it to Zack's dad...that was different.  
  
Please please review, it only takes a couple of secs (unless you have my internet, which is the slowest thing since dinosaurs). Flames will be used to set their owners on fire. 


	3. Chapter Three

Author's Note- Still not mine. Doi.  
  
Thankyou SO much to my reviewers. You guys are absolute champions. Thanks for building my self esteem- it's really great after a crappy day at school to see your review. But remember, crits are helpful too. I know this is kind of light, fluffy, done-before goo, but it's my break from schoolwork, and I'm trying to improve my writing.  
  
Anyway, yet another chapter. I try and keep them a bit short so you're not wading through long decorative passages about how beautiful someone's milkshake is (it's been done before, I swear)  
  
Oh, and I'm trying mostly to keep romance out of here, but if there's any pairing you want ESPECIALLY, you review and let me know, ok?  
  
And now for...  
  
CHAPTER THREE  
  
It was very quiet at home. It was always very quiet at home. Zack let himself in- the front door was already unlocked, meaning his mom was home- and took off his school shoes, placing them neatly in the shoe rack like he'd always done. He took his schoolbag up to his room and unpacked it, taking all his schoolbooks out and piling them on his desk. Mrs. Harrison wasn't as averse to giving homework as Mr. S...Mr. Finn...Dewey...had been.  
  
Zack wanted to go and see Dewey, to explain and apologize. But he figured Katie and Freddy would tell him soon enough, and when would he ever get the opportunity to talk to Dewey again? He regretted it though, not being able to tell Dewey face to face.  
  
He took off his wrist cuff and gothic cross and hid them behind the schoolbooks again. They'd never be discovered, as long as he kept them there. Taking off his uniform, he put on trousers and a shirt that his mom had made him first try on, and then actually buy. He was expected to do this- to come downstairs looking like a preppy wanker who's aim was to make the Honor Roll. Which was, in retrospect, exactly what his parents wanted him to be.  
  
'Zack?' His mom's voice drifted up the stairs.  
  
'Yea...yes, Mom?'  
  
'Bring your uniform downstairs to the laundry so I can wash it.' That was his mother's only concern- that her 'baby' was clean and tidy for school. She didn't ask him about his day- that thread of conversation would be used to fill the empty speechless void of the dinner table.  
  
'If you care so much about me, you'll let me go back in the band', he said to himself, under his breath, gathering up his uniform. 


	4. Chapter Four

Thanks once again to my reviewers, I appreciate you guys heaps. This chapter's really short- sorry, I know all my chapters are, but at least they're easier to read than huge blocks of text. This scene isn't Katie/Freddy, they really are only just friends. I'm still sticking with the no romance thing, but if you want to, include suggested pairings so I can think about them. If there is any romance it'll be in later chapters anyway.  
  
Read and review- even a couple of words are ok. It only takes a couple of seconds.  
  
CHAPTER FOUR  
  
Freddy was sitting on the big comfy couch at Katie's place. He always felt awkward when he was at Katie's house, because he didn't think that Katie's parents really believed they were just friends.  
  
Katie came back into the room holding two glasses of coke. She handed one to Freddy and sat down next to him.  
  
'We've got to do something about this Zack vs. father shit', Katie said.  
  
'He needs to just tell his dad he wants to be in the band. Like, get it over with, stop being meek and passive.'  
  
'Yeah, but Zack is meek and passive.'  
  
'I know, I know. But if he could just say it to his dad- like "this is what I want to do".'  
  
'Probably wouldn't achieve shit though.' Katie took a gulp of coke, placed her glass on the coffee table and leaned back into the couch.  
  
'Yeah, cause knowing Zack, he'd just leave it at that.'  
  
'We could come round to his place to back him up.'  
  
'That's not a bad idea actually...' said Freddy. He weighed up the pros and cons. 'Let's do it tomorrow- speak to Zack.'  
  
'Yeah. Great. Let's do that', said Katie. 'Did you want to borrow my Clash CD?' 


	5. Chapter Five

A/N: I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'd completely forgotten about this! To anyone who was waiting for me to update I'm SO SORRY!

Well, now that that's over and done with, on with the show. Welcome to chapter five. It's only taken a year for me to put this up, I don't see the problem! (SORRY!)

Blah blah not my characters etc.

CHAPTER FIVE

Homework was done, room was clean, bag was packed ready for tomorrow. Now came Zack's favourite part of the day- guitar practice. He had to use acoustic, not electric, because his dad had point blank refused to even allow an electric guitar anywhere _near_ the house, but it was still a guitar.

Humming the first couple of notes of Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water", Zack set up his music stand, placing it up against the bed so he could sit down and practice.

He sat there holding the guitar, not playing. God, he'd give anything to be back in the band. But the only music he was allowed to play was classical guitar shit, all well and good in its own way, but not what he wanted to be playing.

Zack practiced, for probably hours, until his fingers were red and dinted and painful. Then he put his guitar away and packed up his music, ready to take to school music class.

He opened his wardrobe. There was a shoebox tucked neatly in a corner, and he opened it and took out its contents- a discman and a few CDs- Hendrix, The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, Velvet Underground and The Who. This was Zack's stash- some kids hid porn, some kids hid drugs, Zack hid CDs.

Turning on the discman, he listened to his illicit music, volume down in case his mom decided to make a surprise visit to see if he was doing anything productive, and if not, why not.

He listened to an awesome drum sequence and thought of Freddy, and the band. It seemed like the band was the only thing he could think of, when he wasn't being forced to concentrate on homework. The band, the band, the band…

'Got a feeling inside…can't explain…' he sang softly along with the music. He didn't want to wind up in some dead end office job, stuck in a tiny cubicle for the rest of his life, taking orders forever. What he wanted…he wanted the band. He wanted School of Rock, and the music, the screaming guitar and the screaming fans. He didn't want crap from his parents, he didn't want to put up with restrictions and rules.

But it was getting past the obstacles that was the problem. It was fine to say what he did and didn't want, but doing something about it was much more difficult.


	6. Chapter Six

A/N: Yes, you got it right! Not one but two delicious (not really) chapters that I've had sitting on my computer, waiting to be released to the internet for a year. (I'm sorry!)

Read and enjoy. Blah blah, not my characters again etc.

CHAPTER SIX

It was lunchtime and Katie and Freddy were slowly trying to convince Zack to stand up to his dad.

'I can't just stand up and announce to dad that I'm going back to the band and tell him to deal with it.'

'The hell you can't. Zack, we'll _be_ there, to support you.'

'He's not going to listen to me. He'll tell me to shut up and sit down.'

'Well don't take that crap. You just tell him you're back in and he'll just have to accept that.'

'It's not that easy', Zack said mournfully. Freddy and Katie exchanged glances.

'Yes it _is_, Zack. It's so simple that even a child could do it.'

'I…'

'What, are you scared?' asked Freddy scornfully. Zack's eyes were wide. Yes, he was. 'Man, you're supposed to be a rebel!'

'Zack, we're here for you, ok? And we will be coming home with you, so that's enough of that', said Katie firmly, finally.

'Ok, fine, whatever', said Zack, giving up. He just knew it wasn't going to work, that was all.

'Hurrah, the kid's found a backbone', said Freddy sarcastically. 'Jeez Mooneyham, anyone'd think you didn't want to be back in the band, the way you carry on.'

'Shutup Jones. Just shutup ok. You have no idea what I want, and for the record, fuck you.' Zack stormed off, almost crashing into Lawrence and Tomika who were walking together as he did so. Lawrence raised an eyebrow.

'Is everything ok with Zack?' he asked.

'Yeah, yeah, fine, he's having a tantrum', said Freddy angrily.

'Zack might be coming back to the band!' Katie said, excited. Tomika and Lawrence both grinned widely. It would mean proper band practice again. Though Dewey was playing guitar for the band at the moment, they needed Zack back so he could learn the new songs and so that they could once again get used to playing with him. It was harder playing with Dewey- he tended to make it up as he went along, and he insisted on having twenty-minute guitar solos in every song.

'Yeah well, we're gonna help golden-boy Mooneyham face up to his scary Daddy tonight', Freddy said. He shrugged and walked off, in the opposite direction to Zack. Katie rolled her eyes and joined Tomika and Lawrence.


End file.
